Improvement in railroad cars



www UIJIHI INI HIH JOHN W. GRIFFITHS. l'mprovem-ent in Ralro d-C N0.114,675.

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JOHN W. GRIFFITHS, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 114,675, 'dated May 9, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD CARS.

. The Schedule referred to ln these Letters Patent and making part ofthe same.

I, JOHN W. GRmrITHs, of EastBostoin-in the county of Suffolk and Stateof .Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in theVConstruction of Railroad Cars, of which the following is thespecification.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is an end view or elevation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation; y

Figure 3 is a plan view of the top; and

Figure 4 is av plan view of the bottom, looking 4down from the inside ofthe body of the car.

rlhe invention consists in the construction of the bodies of'railroadcars, in which the ribs are of wood, bent toform the sides,-top, andbottom of the body.

A A are the ribs, made of wood, bent to forni 4the body of the, car, asrepresented in iig. 1, having the ends abut together at a and form thecross-sills of the bottom of the car-body.

. B B are transverse sills, for thedouble purpose of securely holdingthe ends of the bent ribs in place, and, with the ribs, sustaining thefloor of the car, and

`are bolted horizontally to the ribs, as seen in figs. 2

and 4. y

G C are longitudinal rails, which form the base for the windows. Theyare made in two pieces, eaeh half having a notch on its edge to receivethe rib, and when put on the ribs will meet at their edges. lhey arethen bolted to and through the ribs, as seen in figs. 1 and 2.

D D are longitudinal rails above the windows, and

are attached to the ribs in the saine way as the rails IC; butin beingnotched onto the ribs the two parts do' not cometogether, but leave aspace between them for the window-sash to slide freely up through suchopening.

E E are longitudinal rails placed above the rails D to form the baseofthe Ventilating-opening.

E F are straight or upwardly-curved transverse caps, to form the uppermargin ofthe Ventilating-orices and make the ibundation for-the roof`ofthe car. .Lhey are bolted in a horizontal direction ou the side ci'ribs A, and thus form a strong base for receiving and supporting theroof ofthe car.

Gr Gr are longitudiualslls of the length of the body ofthe car, and towhich the bent ribs A are bolted.

rI he ribs A are made from wood, of the length to make the circumferenceot' the center of the wall of the body of the car, well steamed, andbent in the form that the car-body in cross-section is to have, and aresecured to the'longitudinal sills Gr and to transverse sills B by bolts.

The ribs A can be made of two pieces, in which case they will havejoints at a and a; but when made of one piece are preferable, and inthat case the joint will be at a.

For the sills of lthe end platforms a piece of wood, of the proper vsizeandlength, is bent in the proper form, and secured to longitudinal'sillsG in any'secure way.v l

The frame of acar-body thus constructed is stron ger, less liable. tobreak intospliuters in ease of a collision, is lighter and more elastic,which gives to it greater ability, and at the same time decreases itscost of co nstruction.

The car-body thus constructed can also be covered on the outside in anyway desired, either with wood, metal, or other substances, as the framebeing wholly of wood the outside covering or inside tinish can bereadily applied.

Having thusl described 'my invention,

What l claim, and desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent, is

'1. The ribs A, made from one'piece or' Wood, the ends abutting at a,bent in the form and secured in the manner described.

2'. The frame of a railroad ear, when constructed fromthe` wooden 'bentribs A, transverse sills B, rails C, D, and E,`caps Fhand sills G,the'several parts formed, arranged, and secured together in the mannerdescribed.

JOHN V. GRIFFITHS.

Witnesses:

SUSIE G. Gnmnrrns, OLIVER W. Gnurrrrls.

